This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
An engine camshaft assembly may include a thrust ring to axially secure the camshaft relative to an engine structure. The thrust rings are typically formed with the camshaft. The camshaft lobes are typically hardened by a process such as induction hardening. The process generally requires an axial spacing between the thrust ring and the adjacent cam lobe. Therefore, additional length may be added to the camshaft to accommodate the required spacing.